LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) -
The UNLV baseball team (3-3) suffered a 4-1 setback to the No. 7 Cal State Fullerton Titans Saturday at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. The Rebels scored once in the first and that was the only run of the contest until the Titans pushed four across between the seventh and eighth innings.

The teams will meet, once more, Sunday for a rubber game at 1:05 pm. Kids are invited to run the bases after the conclusion of the contest.

Things got started quickly in the first by the visitors from Southern California, as they strung together back-to-back singles from Scott Hurst and Hank LoForte and a one-out walk to Ruben Cardenas to load the bases. Fortunately, Rebel starter Larry Quaney settled down and struck out two straight to end any threat.

UNLV carried that momentum into its at-bat in the bottom of the inning and took an early 1-0 lead thanks to its first three batters. Kyle Isbel led off with a walk issued by Fullerton’s starting pitcher Colton Eastman. Isbel would end up making his way to third base off a perfectly executed hit and run by he and Bryson Stott, who singled through the right side. Payton Squier stepped up with runners on the corners and poked a ball to the left side of the infield to allow Isbel to score.

Stott was responsible for three of the team’s six hits. The newcomer scattered three singles to notch his fifth multiple-hit game of the season and extend his hitting and reached-base streaks to six straight.

"Both teams played solid baseball and grinded it out for nine innings; the difference was the eighth inning," said head coach Stan Stolte. "They had three great at-bats and scored three times; we had a couple of poor at-bats and didn't score. Or their pitchers stepped up and ours didn't; however, you want to look at it."

Following the Rebel run, the affair became a pitcher’s duel between Quaney, Eastman and Titan reliever Gavin Velasquez (1-0). Quaney maintained his end-of-the-first-inning form and blanked the Titans until they evened the score at 1-all in the seventh. In all, the righty struck out five against six hits and one walk.

Eastman threw the first two frames for Fullerton and was touched for the one run off of one hit. He struck out two and walked three. He was removed in the bottom of the third as Velasquez came on in emergency relief. Velasquez, who struck out one, held the Rebels scoreless in 5.1 innings of work despite giving up four hits and one walk.

The Titans drew even in the seventh off a ground out by Sahid Valenzuela that scored pinch runner Hunter Cullen from third base. Cullen entered to run for Boston Romero, who led off with a double.

Fullerton turned things in its favor in the eighth with help from a walk issued by Jake Lewis (0-1) and a trio of extra-base hits to right field off Andrew Schultz to scored three runs.

Velasquez gave way to teammate Dillon Brown who pitched the final 1.2 innings to preserve the win and earn his first save of the season. In all, Brown struck out two against one hit and one walk.

Tickets can be purchased online and in-advance for $5 at UNLVTickets.com. Tickets purchased at the gate are $8 for adults, $6 for senior/faculty/staff, while kids 12 and under as well as UNLV students are free of charge.